Witness testifies body of Talamantes' daughter not seen in trunk initially

As the first week of Aquelin Talamantes' trial came to an end Friday, one witness described a brief moment of relief when, at first glance, it appeared there was no one in the trunk of Talamantes' car on the day her daughter's body was discovered.

Talamantes is alleged to have drowned 5-year-old Tatiana Garcia on Sept. 26, 2013 at the Davis home of her sister, Elisa Torres, with whom she and her two children were living.

Talamantes later drove to the home of another sister, Priscilla Talamantes, at a Sacramento apartment complex with the child's body in the trunk.

Darlene Gonzalez, Priscilla's mother-in-law, was called to the witness stand Friday afternoon. Gonzalez was at the scene of the apartment complex when the wet, limp body of Tatiana was found in the trunk of her mother's Honda wrapped in a blanket, stuffed inside a garbage bag.

"At first glance we were relieved because I didn't see anything," Gonzalez said, recalling the moment when she and Priscilla opened the trunk together. Priscilla had managed to finally grab the keys once a police officer arrived and handcuffed Talamantes, who then dropped the keys to which she had clung so tightly since arriving at her sister's home.

On a police patrol unit recording played without volume, Priscilla was seen walking away from the vehicle in distressed relief. Gonzalez testified that there were a lot of clothes in the trunk. She moved them around and then saw the garbage bag.

"I ripped it open and there was a blanket inside. Tatiana was inside there, the baby," she recalled.

Gonzalez described Tatiana being "nicely wrapped" in the blanket, that it swirled around her. She was wet, had foam coming from her mouth, she said. Gonzalez remembered the child was limp, not hard.

"I grabbed her and told her, no, baby," Gonzalez said.

Moments later, after Talamantes was placed in the back of the patrol car, the officer asked Gonzalez to move aside and immediately began performing CPR.

Priscilla originally called her mother-in-law to drive her to Davis to search for Tatiana, as Talamantes had told relatives she was missing. When Gonzalez arrived, she found Priscilla, Talamantes and Talamantes' unharmed son, Mikey, 4, sitting on the curb near the parking lot.

Priscilla subtly shooed Gonzalez away, because she didn't want Talamantes to get upset and flee with Mikey before police arrived, Gonzalez said. At one point, Talamantes moved from the curb, at which time Priscilla told Gonzalez to take Mikey and put him in her car.

Gonzalez said she was afraid Talamantes might hurt Priscilla — then seven-months pregnant — when she found Mikey was gone.

"She looked really out of reality ... just dazed," Gonzalez recalled. "She looked to me like she wasn't there.

"She looked anxious ... like she could do something in a split second. Like on the edge."

Priscilla testified on Wednesday that she continued to ask her sister about Tatiana's whereabouts. Sometimes Talamantes would hold her car keys "really tight and not respond to me," Priscilla said. Other times she would say, "I don't know. I can't find her."

Before police arrived, Priscilla attempted to get Talamantes' car keys. One time, Talamantes pushed her arm away, she said.

Earlier in the morning, Carmen Mercado, a social worker with Child Protective Services, was questioned about her dealings with Talamantes. In late August 2013, she received a referral from a nurse at Sutter General with concerns of possible mental health issues, that Talamantes was "somewhat detached from her children."

Talamantes was reportedly evaluated for a 5150 hold at the hospital, but a hold was not issued.

According to Mercado, the referral situation at the time wasn't in need of "immediate attention," but one in which CPS would do a follow up within 10 days. Mercado was unsuccessful in locating the mother at her Land Park Woods Sacramento apartment home at the time.

The next time Mercado made contact with Talamantes was on Sept. 26, 2013, the day Tatiana was allegedly drowned.

Mercado testified that their contact — which took place at the police station after Talamantes was arrested — lasted maybe five minutes.

"She had no problem deciphering my questions," said Mercado. Specifically, Mercado met with her to discuss her son Mikey and where he would stay.

Prior to Mercado entering the holding room, Talamantes was crying, she testified.

"In the room it appeared as though nothing was wrong ... she was able to stop being upset and answer my questions," she explained.

Mercado further testified that Talamantes displayed no "bizarre" behavior; she just had her head resting on her arms.

Talamantes' former Land Park Woods apartment manager, Rachel Powe, also testified Friday morning. Talamantes moved out of the complex in early September 2013, almost three weeks before her daughter's death, because she was not able to pay rent.

Because Talamantes left the apartment in decent condition, she was entitled to a partial return of her deposit money, explained Powe. After moving out, Talamantes came in every week to see if the check was ready. The last time she came in was after lunchtime on Sept. 26 — the day she allegedly drowned Tatiana.

Powe explained the check was in the mail. The following day, Powe received a phone call about Tatiana's death.

Talamantes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Her trial is expected to continue for several weeks in Yolo County Superior Court Department 3.